LPA: North Northamptonshire
NCA: 89 – Northamptonshire Vales
Habitat Units – Very High
Wood Pasture & Parkland – 47.91 HU
Habitat Units – Medium
Other Neutral Grassland – 209.34 HU
Ponds (non-priority habitat) – 0.85 HU
Individual Trees – 1.81 HU
Other woodland mixed – 8.58 HU
Habitat Units – High
Floodplain wetland mosaic and CFGM – 75.57 HU
Ponds (priority habitat) – 2.28 HU
Open Mosaic Habitat – 24.36 HU
Wetland Reedbeds – 1.40 HU
Lowland mixed deciduous woodland – 176.30 HU
Hedgerow & Watercourse Units
Species rich hedgerow w/ trees w/ bank or ditch (V. High) – 12.59 HedgeU
Species rich hedgerow with trees (High) – 36.38 HedgeU
Ditches (Medium) – 5.92 WU
Land & Legacy
Lilford Hall Habitat Bank, located within North Northamptonshire and delivered in partnership with the Bloch family, marks another significant nature project for GEDG and a continued commitment to BNG and regenerative land use.
The site sits within the historic Lilford Hall Estate, a 321 acre parkland setting on the River Nene with a legacy dating back to 1495. The estate has long been associated with nature and ornithology, most notably through Thomas Littleton Powys, the 4th Baron Lilford, a prominent Victorian ornithologist credited with introducing the Little Owl to England in the 1880s. His original aviaries still stand within the parkland today.
The land comprises gently rolling pasture and mature parkland dotted with veteran oak, ash, beech, yew and hawthorn, alongside extensive woodland, two established ponds, and wetland mosaic along the River Nene.
Building on this exceptional natural and historic foundation, Lilford Hall is now set to be transformed into a thriving habitat bank, delivering lasting environmental benefits.
Habitat & Enhancement
The proposed habitat creation and enhancement at Lilford Hall will deliver abroad uplift in biodiversity through the restoration and expansion of key habitats across the historic estate.
This includes the creation of species-rich hedgerows with trees, new parkland trees and wet ditches, alongside the enhancement of existing wood-pasture and parkland, floodplain wetland mosaic, neutral grassland, lowland mixed deciduous woodland, reed bed, ponds, ditches and hedgerows.
These interventions aim to improve habitat quality and connectivity across the site, supporting a diverse range of species including amphibians, bats, badgers, nesting and wading birds, reptiles and invertebrates, and contributing to significant ecological gains across high and medium distinctiveness habitat types.
Beyond Biodiversity
As with all our Habitat Banks, GEDG intends to create strong links with local schools and local interest groups who can visit the site on an organised basis and play a key role in the conservation activities.
GEDG’s approach to this site will provide buyers of units with additionality in terms of endangered and wider species monitoring, health and education opportunities. GEDG are retaining Middlemarch Environmental, owned by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, to monitor the habitat bank over the 30-year management period.
